diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/build.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/build.py
index 6b395264b6..1524da0049 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/build.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/build.py
@@ -668,9 +668,36 @@ def add_tasks(tasklist, deltasklist, d):
     # don't assume holding a reference
     d.setVar('_task_deps', task_deps)
 
-def remove_task(task, kill, d):
-    """Remove an BB 'task'.
+def addtask(task, before, after, d):
+    if task[:3] != "do_":
+        task = "do_" + task
 
-       If kill is 1, also remove tasks that depend on this task."""
+    d.setVarFlag(task, "task", 1)
+    bbtasks = d.getVar('__BBTASKS') or []
+    if not task in bbtasks:
+        bbtasks.append(task)
+    d.setVar('__BBTASKS', bbtasks)
+
+    existing = d.getVarFlag(task, "deps") or []
+    if after is not None:
+        # set up deps for function
+        for entry in after.split():
+            if entry not in existing:
+                existing.append(entry)
+    d.setVarFlag(task, "deps", existing)
+    if before is not None:
+        # set up things that depend on this func
+        for entry in before.split():
+            existing = d.getVarFlag(entry, "deps") or []
+            if task not in existing:
+                d.setVarFlag(entry, "deps", [task] + existing)
+
+def deltask(task, d):
+    if task[:3] != "do_":
+        task = "do_" + task
+
+    bbtasks = d.getVar('__BBDELTASKS') or []
+    if not task in bbtasks:
+        bbtasks.append(task)
+    d.setVar('__BBDELTASKS', bbtasks)
 
-    d.delVarFlag(task, 'task')
diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/ast.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/ast.py
index 2036cd43fe..a2020532ea 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/ast.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/parse/ast.py
@@ -235,29 +235,7 @@ class AddTaskNode(AstNode):
         self.after = after
 
     def eval(self, data):
-        var = self.func
-        if self.func[:3] != "do_":
-            var = "do_" + self.func
-
-        data.setVarFlag(var, "task", 1)
-        bbtasks = data.getVar('__BBTASKS') or []
-        if not var in bbtasks:
-            bbtasks.append(var)
-        data.setVar('__BBTASKS', bbtasks)
-
-        existing = data.getVarFlag(var, "deps") or []
-        if self.after is not None:
-            # set up deps for function
-            for entry in self.after.split():
-                if entry not in existing:
-                    existing.append(entry)
-        data.setVarFlag(var, "deps", existing)
-        if self.before is not None:
-            # set up things that depend on this func
-            for entry in self.before.split():
-                existing = data.getVarFlag(entry, "deps") or []
-                if var not in existing:
-                    data.setVarFlag(entry, "deps", [var] + existing)
+        bb.build.addtask(self.func, self.before, self.after, data)
 
 class DelTaskNode(AstNode):
     def __init__(self, filename, lineno, func):
@@ -265,14 +243,7 @@ class DelTaskNode(AstNode):
         self.func = func
 
     def eval(self, data):
-        var = self.func
-        if self.func[:3] != "do_":
-            var = "do_" + self.func
-
-        bbtasks = data.getVar('__BBDELTASKS') or []
-        if not var in bbtasks:
-            bbtasks.append(var)
-        data.setVar('__BBDELTASKS', bbtasks)
+        bb.build.deltask(self.func, data)
 
 class BBHandlerNode(AstNode):
     def __init__(self, filename, lineno, fns):